🍼 Family
🇧🇪 Belgium
2026
Birth grant in Belgium 2026 — amounts by region
The birth grant is a one-off payment when your child arrives. The amount depends on your region — Flanders, Wallonia or Brussels. Here are the 2026 figures, and above all: when and how to claim it so you don't miss out.
📖 7 min read
🕐 Updated June 2026
🇧🇪 All 3 regions
💡 The essentials in one sentence
The birth grant is a one-off amount (not monthly) that you claim during pregnancy, often paid out about 2 months before the due date. The amount depends on the region where the child lives and on the child's rank (1st or subsequent).
What exactly is the birth grant?
The birth grant — also called the birth allowance, the startbedrag in Flanders — is a sum paid once per child, at birth. Don't confuse it with child benefits, which are paid every month up to higher education.
Like child benefits, the birth grant is a regionalised competence: it's no longer the federal level that decides, but your region. In practice:
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It's a one-off amount
Paid once per birth, not every month. A helping hand for the first expenses (pram, cot, clothes…).
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The amount depends on your region
Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels each have their own amount. What counts is the region where the child lives.
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The child's rank matters
In Wallonia and Brussels, the grant is higher for the 1st child and lower for subsequent ones. In Flanders it's a single flat amount (startbedrag), the same for every child.
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You claim it during pregnancy
No need to wait for the birth: you can submit the claim during pregnancy, and payment can be made about 2 months before the due date.
Good news: the birth grant also applies to adoption (more on that below), and the self-employed are entitled to it just like employees.
2026 amounts by region
Here are the birth grant amounts for 2026, region by region. In Wallonia and Brussels, the amount differs depending on whether it's your 1st child or a subsequent child.
| Region |
1st child |
Subsequent child |
System & body |
| 🌊 Flanders |
€1,269.25 |
€1,269.25 (flat amount) |
Groeipakket — startbedrag (Opgroeien) |
| 🌻 Wallonia |
€1,214.94 |
€605.22 |
FAMIWAL & approved funds |
| 🏛️ Brussels |
€1,395.02 |
€634.10 |
Famiris / Iriscare |
⚠️ Indicative 2026 amounts — check with your fund.
Key takeaway: Brussels has the highest birth grant for a 1st child (€1,395.02), ahead of Flanders (€1,269.25) and Wallonia (€1,214.94). In Flanders the startbedrag is a flat amount regardless of rank, whereas in Wallonia and Brussels the grant drops for subsequent children (€605.22 and €634.10). For region-by-region details, see the page on Brussels, Wallonia or Flanders.
When and how to claim it
The reflex to have: don't wait for the birth. The birth grant is claimed during pregnancy, and payment can be made about 2 months before the due date. That way you have the money exactly when you need it to get equipped.
1
You choose (or check) your benefits fund
It's the fund that pays the grant. If you don't choose one, you're automatically affiliated with the public fund of your region (Famiris in Brussels, FAMIWAL in Wallonia, the public payer via the Groeipakket in Flanders).
2
You submit the claim during pregnancy
Usually as soon as you have a medical certificate stating the expected delivery date. The claim is most often made online, via your fund's form.
3
Payment can land before the birth
Once the complete file is approved, the grant can be paid about 2 months before the due date. Any adjustment is settled after the official birth.
4
You confirm the birth
The municipality often forwards the birth certificate to the fund automatically, but check that your file is complete to move on to monthly child benefits.
What about adoption?
The grant also exists for adoption: it's then often called an adoption grant. The principle is the same as at birth — a one-off amount paid once per adopted child — and it's always your regional benefits fund that handles it.
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The claim is based on the adoption procedure
Instead of a pregnancy certificate, it's usually the petition or the adoption decision that opens the right. Ask your fund as early as possible in the procedure.
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Amounts follow the regional logic
As with birth, the amount depends on your region. Check the exact adoption grant amount directly with your fund, as the conditions of the procedure can differ.
The required documents
The documents requested vary slightly by fund and region, but you'll almost always find the same items. Prepare them in advance to speed up processing.
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The medical certificate
For a birth: a certificate confirming the pregnancy and the expected delivery date. It's what enables the early payment.
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Your identity and residence details
Identity of the parent(s) and the child's residence address — that determines the competent region.
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A bank account number
The account into which the grant (and then the monthly benefits) will be paid.
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For adoption: the procedure documents
The petition or the adoption decision, depending on what your fund requests.
The link with choosing your fund
It's your benefits fund that pays the birth grant. Good news: within a given region, the legal amount is identical whatever fund you choose — only the service quality, the app and the processing times vary. So you have nothing to gain financially by chasing "the best" fund, but a responsive fund will make life easier when claiming the grant before the due date.
✅ Our practical tip
Choose (or check) your fund right at the start of the pregnancy, not after the birth. That's the reflex that lets you receive the grant before the birth and move smoothly on to monthly child benefits. While you're at it, plan ahead for your parental leave.
FAQ — Birth grant
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Is the birth grant paid every month?
No. It's a one-off amount per child. The monthly payments are the child benefits.
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Can I claim it before the birth?
Yes, and it's even recommended: the claim is made during pregnancy and payment can land about 2 months before the due date.
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Which region does the amount depend on?
The region where the child lives: €1,269.25 in Flanders, €1,214.94 in Wallonia and €1,395.02 in Brussels for a 1st child (indicative 2026 amounts).
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Does the amount change for the 2nd child?
In Wallonia (€605.22) and Brussels (€634.10), yes, it's lower for subsequent children. In Flanders the startbedrag is a single flat amount.
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Does it also exist for adoption?
Yes, as an adoption grant paid by your regional fund. Check the amount and exact documents with your fund.
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Self-employed: am I entitled?
Yes, the self-employed have the same rights as employees to the birth grant.
🕐 Last checked: June 2026 — Amounts are indicative; the exact amount depends on your situation and your benefits fund.